Water fill shut-off control for a domestic icemaker

ABSTRACT

A control for shutting off an automatic ice maker in a refrigeration apparatus, such as a refrigerator-freezer. The ice maker apparatus is driven by an electric motor which is permitted to run continuously and thereby provide additional timing functions for other controls in the refrigeration apparatus. The ice maker mechanism is caused to be inoperative for purposes of providing ice bodies such as when the level of collected ice bodies in a storage bin reaches a preselected full level. The ice maker mechanism is made inoperative for providing ice by preventing delivery of water to the ice maker freezing mold under such conditions.

United States Patent Linstromberg 1 July 11,1972

WATER FILL SHUT-OFF CONTROL Primary Examinerwilliam Ev Wayner FOR A DOMESTIC ICEMAKER Attorney-James S. Nettleton, Thomas E. Turcotte, Burton H. Baker, Gene A. Heth, Franklin C. l-larter, Anthony Niewyk, [72] inventor: Willi-ml. Umlmmberg, Evansville, Ind. Robert Judd and Hot-Bren wean". n g n & 731 Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation [22] Filed: June 18, I970 57 CT PP NOJ 47,519 A control for shutting off an automatic ice maker in a refrigeration apparatus, such as a refrigerator-freezer. The ice 52 .5. Cl maker appmtus is driven by an clcctfic motor which is d a CL 55 3 mitted to run continuously and thereby provide additional [58] Mascara 62/137 234 I55 timing functions for other controls in the refrigeration apparatus. The ice maker mechanism is caused to be inoperative for of rovi bodies such aswh nthe lev [of 56 purposes p ding me e e 1 References CM collected ice bodies in a storage bin reaches a preselected full UNFIED STATES PATENTS level. The ice maker mechanism is made inoperative for providing ice by preventing delivery of water to the ice maker 3,143,863 8/l964 Nelson ..62/l 37 X freezing mold under such djd 3,541,806 I l/l970 Jacobs ..62/233 7 Claims, 4 Drawing gum AHiNET $422 THERMOSTAT 19 ews 69 DEFROST BIMETAL SWITCH 31b umen FILL VALVE SOLENOID M TIMER a omvr MOTOR PATENTEDJUL 11 1972 3.675.437

3 z am 33 LEVER 15 1 SWITCH F I I DEFROST I l .72 WATER FILL VALVE BIMETAL SWITCH 3.112 m SOLENOID TIMER a DRIVE DEFROST 31 1 c MOTOR TIME CONTROL 31a A DEFROST 17 HEATER DEFROST 30 SWITCH EW- L1 1 32 CABINET 5?.2E92E SWITCH STAT l 15 JQ 17 15 HEN/K15? DEFROST/ COMPRESSOR SOLENOID 0R "EATER MOTOR J2 Invenlo r:

william/Jlinsimmbezg, -59

WATER FILL SHUT-OFF CONTROL FOR A DOMESTIC ICEMAKER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION l Field of the Invention This invention relates to a refrigeration apparatus and in particular to apparatus for automatically making ice bodies in an apparatus such as a refrigerator-freezer.

2. Description of the Prior Art In controlling conventional automatic ice body makers means have been provided for de-energizing the drive motor thereof when the collected ice bodies reach a preselected level. The control means is arranged to automatically re-initiate the ice body making process when the level is lowered such as by the user withdrawing some or all of the collected ice bodies from a storage bin. Such refrigeration apparatuses further incorporate additional controls such as defroster controls which periodically defrost the refrigeration means so as to maintain the apparatus effectively frostfree. Such defroster controls normally require a timer to automatically time their operations. Heretofore separate timer motors have been employed for controlling the defroster means.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention comprehends providing an improved control means in a refrigeration apparatus permitting a single motor to be utilized both for cyclically operating an automatic ice body maker and controlling the operation of a defroster means. In the present invention the ice body maker mechanism is permitted to be driven continuously through its normal cycle except that under certain conditions, delivery of water for forming ice bodies in the freezing mold is prevented. More specifically, when the ice bodies collected in the ice storage bin reach a preselected level, control means associated with the ice body maker effectively preclude further delivery of water to the ice body forming mold until such time as the level of ice in the storage bin is lowered below the preselected level. When the level is so lowered, the mechanism is reestablished for automatic production of ice bodies.

Thus, the motor driving the ice body maker mechanism is permitted to run continuously and to serve as the timer motor for the defrost control.

The means for sensing the level ofice bodies in the harvesting bin may comprise sensing arm means, weight responsive means, etc. The sensing means may be arranged to operate a separate control switch or may be arranged to mechanically affect the water fill control switch as desired.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING Other features and advantages of the invention will be ap parent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. I is a fragmentary front elevation of a refrigeration apparatus having a control means embodying the invention, a modified form of level responsive means being shown in dotted lines therein;

F IG. 2 is a fragmentary view illustrating another means for sensing the ice body level in the harvesting bin suitable for use in the control of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a schematic electrical wiring diagram illustrating one embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 4 is a schematic electrical wiring diagram illustrating another embodiment of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In the exemplary embodiments of the invention as disclosed in the drawing, an ice body maker generally designated for automatically making ice bodies is shown to include a control mechanism 11 for rotatably cycling a mold I2 defining a plurality of ice body forming cavities 13. Ice bodies formed in cavities 13 are delivered therefrom to a subjacent collecting bin 14 in an automatic harvesting operation. Control 11 may be of suitable conventional construction adapted to control the delivery of water to the mold cavities through a solenoid valve 15 (FIG. 3). The control includes a drive motor I6 which in the present embodiment is caused to run continuously and which thereby is available to control the periodic energization of a suitable defrost heater I7 for automatically defrosting the refrigeration apparatus.

The refrigeration apparatus may further include a conventional motor compressor 18 for effecting suitable refrigeration to form ice bodies in mold 12. The motor compressor is controlled by a conventional cabinet thermostat switch 19.

Control 11 as operated by motor 16 normally functions to harvest successive batches of ice bodies from the mold 12 by repeated cycling of the ice body mechanism. However, when the ice bodies in bin 14 reach a preselected level, such as level 20 (FIG. 1), control 11 causes ice maker 10 to discontinue further production of ice bodies until such time as the level is reduced to below level 20. Herein the discontinuation of the ice body forming process is caused by preventing energization of solenoid valve 15 to starve the ice maker of water.

The sensing of the level of ice bodies in bin 14 may be effected by suitable means such as weight responsive device including a switch 2! having an actuator 22 engaged by a bin support 23 and spring biased so that switch 21 is operated to open when the weight of the ice bodies in the bin reaches a weight corresponding to a full level condition thereof. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 2, the sensing of the ice body level may be by means of a sensing arm mechanism 24 having an arm portion 25 arranged to sweep through the collecting bin and control switch 21 by means of a cooperating spring biased carrier 26 and timing cam 27. A bin control utilizing the weight responsive means of FIG. 1 is illustrated in US. Pat. No. 3,474,637 issued to W. J. Buchser on Oct. 28, 1969 for "Bin Control for an Ice Maker". A sensing arm control means such as shown in FIG. 2 is illustrated in US. Pat. No. 3,040,542 issued to W. J. Linstromberg on June 26, 1962 for Product Level Control for Ice Maker. Each ofthese patents is owned by the assignee hereof and reference may be had thereto for a detailed description of the structure and functioning of the level sensing devices as used in apparatus I0 hereof.

Solenoid valve 15 is controlled by a water fill switch 28. In the present embodiment, shut-off switch 2] and water fill switch 28 are connected in series with the solenoid of valve 15 as shown in FIG. 3 of the drawing. In nonnal operation, assuming that the level of ice bodies in bin 14 is below the preselected full level, switch 21 is closed and once during each ice body forming cycle, switch 28 is closed by a cam, not shown, driven by timer motor I6 for a preselected period of time to deliver a suitable amount of water to cavities 13 of mold I2 for forming a batch ofice bodies therein. When, how ever, switch 21 is opened as a result of the level of ice bodies reaching full level 20, the closing of switch 28 has no effect on the solenoid valve 15 whereby the ice body maker mechanism dry cycles without further production of ice bodies.

As shown in FIG. 3, the control circuit for the refrigeration apparatus may be fed from suitable power supply leads LI and L2. The circuit includes a pair of defrost switches, defrost switch 30 and defrost switch 31. Switch 30 comprises a single pole, double throw switch having its moving contact 300 con nected to power supply lead LI, a first fixed contact 30b connected to cabinet thermostat switch 19 and a second fixed contact 300 connected to shubofi switch 21 and timer motor 16. Defrost switch 3] comprises a single pole, double throw switch having its moving contact 310 connected through a normally closed defrost bimetal switch 32 to power supply lead Ll, a first fixed contact 3Ib connected to fixed contact 30c of switch 30, and a second fixed contact 31c connected to the defrost heater 17. The other side of each of compressor 18, water valve solenoid l5, timer motor 16 and defrost heater 17 are connected to power supply lead L2. Thus, in operation, the control 11 functions to cycle the ice maker mechanism by causing the refrigeration of the space injvhich the mechanism is provided by the operation of compressor motor 18 under the control of the cabinet thermostat 19. As long as the collecting bin 14 is not filled to the level 20, Bin Full switch 21 remains closed and water fill valve solenoid 15 is energized by the closing of switch 28 subsequent to a harvesting of ice bodies from mold 12 so as to provide a subsequent batch of ice bodies 13 in the mold. Motor 16 serves to drive the mold through the rotational positions thereof for effecting such harvesting and ice body formation operations.

When the timer motor 16 times out to initiate a defrost operation, it effects a throwing of switches 30 and 31 from the position of FIG. 3 into contact with fixed contacts 30c and 31c, respectively. Thus, operation of the compressor is prevented at this time and energization of the defrost heater is effected through switch 31 and normally closed switch 32. In the event that the temperature sensed by switch 32 does not reach a preselected high temperature during the defrost timing period, motor l6 eventually causes switch 31 to be thrown back to the position of FIG. 3 terminating the defrost heating cycle and re-establishing the circuit for further ice body formation and harvesting cycles. While the switch 30 is thrown to fixed contact 30c, the timer motor remains energized therethrough and water fill valve solenoid may be energized when the timer reaches the point wherein switch 28 is closed thereby.

The defrost operation is effected by a throwing of switches 30 and 31 from the position shown in FIG. 3 to the opposite position wherein moving contact 300 contacts fixed contact 30c and moving contact 31a contacts fixed contact 310 of switches 30 and 3! respectively. In this arrangement of the control the compressor 18 is prevented from operating while power is maintained to timer motor 16 from power supply lead Ll while defrost heater 17 is energized through switch 31. Resultingly, timer motor 16 may be utilized as a continuous timer motor to control switches 30 and 31 to effect the automatic defrosting cycle notwithstanding the opening of the circuit to water fill solenoid l preventing further forming of ice bodies.

Referring now to FIG. 4, a modified control generally designated 11] includes a single pole, double throw defrost switch 30 connected in series with the cabinet thermostat switch 19 and the motor compressor 18 across power supply leads L1 and L2. The control further includes a single pole, double throw ice maker bimetal switch generally designated [33 having its moving contact 1330 connected to timing motor 16, a first fixed contact 133k connected to power supply lead L1, and a second fixed contact .133: connected to defrost bimetal switch 32 which in turn is connected to defrost heater 17. Moving contact [33a of switch 133 is further connected through a series arrangement of shut-off switch 21 and water fill switch 28 to solenoid valve 15.

Thus, operation of control H1 is similar to control ll as discussed above in that timing motor 16 is energized continuously across power supply leads L1 and L2 notwithstanding an opening of shut'off switch 21 to discontinue the delivery of water to the mold 12. Switch 133 functions to prevent operation of the apparatus in the event that the temperature rises to an abnormally high level such as above freezing thereby to prevent dumping of water into the harvesting bin 14 as a result of a failure to form ice bodies in the mold 12 during the ice forming period. Such interruption of the timing motor operation is an abnormal condition and under the conditions causing such throwing of switch 133 the need for defrosting is correspondingly eliminated so that such interruption in the operation of timing motor 16 does not affect the defrost operation necessary to maintain the apparatus frostfree. Thus. timing motor 16 is effectively continuously operated during all normal operation of the ice body forming apparatus.

The foregoing disclosure of specific embodiments is illustrative of the broad inventive concepts comprehended by the invention.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

l. Refrigeration apparatus comprising: cooling means; a

drive motor; means for automatically making ice bodies including a mold, means for delivering water to the mold for cooling thereof by said cooling means to form ice bodies in said mold, and means driven by said motor for cyclically harvesting the ice bodies from said mold including a collecting bin for removably storing the harvested ice bodies; means for defrosting the cooling means including a control terminating the defrosting operation in response to a high temperature condition corresponding to a completed defrost operation or in response to a preselected time of defrost operation in the event said temperature condition is not reached during the defrost operation; means for timing the interval after said high temperature condition is terminated between successive defrosting operations of said defrosting means from said drive motor. said control causing said drive motor to be operated continuously during each said interval; and means preventing operation of said water delivery means whenever the level of ice bodies in said collecting bin is at a preselected full level thereof to permit continued operation of the ice making means by said drive motor while preventing forming of ice bodies thereby.

2. The refrigeration apparatus of claim 1 wherein said water delivery means includes a solenoid valve, and said means preventing operation of the water delivery means comprises a control switch controlling the electrical feed to said solenoid valve arranged to prevent operation of the valve when the bin ice body level is above said preselected level.

3. The refrigeration apparatus of claim 2 including means responsive to the weight of said collected ice bodies to prevent said valve operation when the bin ice body level is above said preselected level.

4. The refrigeration apparatus of claim 2 including a sensing ann movable through the space in said collecting bin to sense the upper level of collected ice bodies and mechanism controlled by said arrn to prevent said valve operation when the bin ice body level is above said preselected level.

5. The refrigeration apparatus of claim 1 wherein said water delivery means includes a solenoid valve, and said means preventing operation of the water delivery means comprises a control switch controlling the electrical feed to said solenoid valve arranged to prevent operation of the valve when the bin ice body level is above said preselected level.

6. The refrigeration apparatus of claim 1 including means responsive to the weight of said collected ice bodies to prevent said valve operation when the bin ice body level is above said preselected level.

7. The refrigeration apparatus of claim 1 including a sensing arm movable through the space in said collecting bin to sense the upper level of collected ice bodies and mechanism controlled by said am to prevent said valve operation when the bin ice body level is above said preselected level.

It is s s t 

1. Refrigeration apparatus comprising: cooling means; a drive motor; means for automatically making ice bodies including a mold, means for delivering water to the mold for cooling thereof by said cooling means to form ice bodies in said mold, and means driven by said motor for cyclically harvesting the ice bodies from said mold including a collecting bin for removably storing the harvested ice bodies; means for defrosting the cooling means including a control terminating the defrosting operation in response to a high temperature condition corresponding to a completed defrost operation or in response to a preselected time of defrost operation in the event said temperature condition is not reached during the defrost operation; means for timing the interval after said high temperature condition is terminated between successive defrosting operations of said defrosting means from said drive motor, said control causing said drive motor to be operated continuously during each said interval; and means preventing operation of said water delivery means whenever the level of ice bodies in said collecting bin is at a preselected full level thereof to permit continued operation of the ice making means by said drive motor while preventing forming of ice bodies thereby.
 2. The refrigeration apparatus of claim 1 wherein said water delivery means includes a solenoid valve, and said means preventing operation of the water delivery means comprises a control switch controlling the electrical feed to said solenoid valve arranged to prevent operation of the valve when the bin ice body level is above said preselected level.
 3. The refrigeration apparatus of claim 2 including means responsive to the weight of said collected ice bodies to prevent said valve operation when the bin ice body level is above said preselected level.
 4. The refrigeration apparatus of claim 2 including a sensing arm movable through the space in said collecting bin to sense the upper level of collected ice bodies and mechanism controlled by said arm to prevent said valve operation when the bin ice body level is above said preselected level.
 5. The refrigeration apparatus of claim 1 wherein said water delivery means includes a solenoid valve, and said means preventing operation of the water delivery means comprises a control switch conTrolling the electrical feed to said solenoid valve arranged to prevent operation of the valve when the bin ice body level is above said preselected level.
 6. The refrigeration apparatus of claim 1 including means responsive to the weight of said collected ice bodies to prevent said valve operation when the bin ice body level is above said preselected level.
 7. The refrigeration apparatus of claim 1 including a sensing arm movable through the space in said collecting bin to sense the upper level of collected ice bodies and mechanism controlled by said arm to prevent said valve operation when the bin ice body level is above said preselected level. 